


3000 Times Better

by Earthsbestdefender



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fix It, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Recovery, Surgery, hurt comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-02-15 22:37:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 12,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18678742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthsbestdefender/pseuds/Earthsbestdefender
Summary: When you have a second chance at life you take it and you try your best. When life gives you a third chance you take it. You do your best and you do not push your luck. You live.Tony wakes up. His body has been broken and shattered, but his spirit hasn't, because it can't be.He has a third chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am going to start with just a one shot and might keep going. Any of you people who here for the countdown still around??? Anyway it has been one week since I have posted anything and um I miss it. Endgame broke me for a bit, but I am figuring things out. I will try to keep this happy and fluff, but I am winging it so who tf knows??? Anyway been a while, but I am back, and tbh I am back sooner than I thought I'd be.

Pain wasn't the last the last thing Tony felt before his vision blurred to black.

The last thing Tony Stark felt before his vision, and well all of him, and his feelings, and everything gave up, was love. He felt his wife's sweet love as she told him his family was okay, and that he could finally rest. Tony was was filled with love, and as he promised those many years ago he dreamed of Pepper as his world faded to black.

 

* * *

"Helen tell me you have good news," Pepper ordered as soon as the doctor showed her face in the waiting room.

She rubbed a tired hand through her bedraggled black hair.

"It's not good, but it is better than what we thought it would be 6 hours ago," The woman rasped. 

She was so obviously exhausted. Pepper couldn't help but find some form of dry amusement in this. Even while unconscious on a surgery table her husband still managed to find a way to be troublesome and tiring.  _Dumb ass._

"How bad is the purposed better?" Pepper asked lightening up her demanding tone. She needed to know her husband was going to be okay, but she also needed to try to not be to tough on the poor doctor. It had been a VERY long day for everyone.

Helen shuffled her feet nervously, which was odd because she was not the nervous type.

"Helen," Rhodey spoke evenly from just behind Pepper, "How bad is he?"

"We have him stable now."

It had been six hours. Had it really taken them six hours to get him  _stable?_

"Is that all?" Pepper choked with a mix of anger and fear.

Helen shook her head, "No. Dr. Strange was able to portal to other hospitals and he manged to get- he was able to get the organ transplants for Tony-"

"Transplants?" Pepper choked in surprise, "Wh- what transplants?"

Just how bad was not good?

"He... the amount of heat and energy, it... the internal damage was... extensive to say the least..."

"Well don't say the least!" Rhodey barked shortly, "How bad Dr. Cho?"

"The power and radiation... it essentially cooked the right half of his body, and shattered just about every bone from his sternum and over," The doctor spoke in quick stutters, "We had too.. he needed organ transplants for everything to the right of the sternum..."

Pepper's knees gave out from under her. She didn't faint just gave out. Rhodey managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He guided her over to the closest chair. Pepper sank down into the chair still to shocked to speak. She had know the news would be bad. She knew that the snap had all but destroyed her husband's body, but some how it was worse than it had been before. Knowing was worse. 

 

* * *

 

Tony felt his awareness come back into his body. He didn't open his eyes, maybe he wasn't even fully awake, maybe he wasn't even really there at all. He couldn't feel anything, but at the same time he couldn't feel anything enough to know that this was the wrong amount of not feeling anything. He stopped trying to make sense of it all because it was making his head hurt more than it already did.

Tony slowly became aware of light on the other side of his eyelids. The light hurt so he kept his eyes closed. He wished he could close his ears too, because sound was starting to register with him, and he didn't like it. It all stabbed at his brain and made everything all kinds of uncomfortable. He wanted to scream at it to stop, but he knew that wouldn't work. He was on the verge of succumbing to the nauseating pain rising in his stomach when a clear soft voice sifted through the dizzying hum. It was so soft and pure. The sound of it filled Tony's ears and soothed his pounding brain.

"I am not supposed to be in here, but I had to tell you something so I snuck in," Morgan's melodic whisper drifted to Tony's ears and chased the pain away.

A loose smile slipped across his face. She was safe. Pepper had been right. They were okay. Tony had though she was just talking about his family. He hadn't imagined he was included in that. He had after all thought with every inch of his extensive mind that he would die. He was glad he was wrong.

"I snuck in so I could tell you that I love you 3000 too, and that... well they said you might not wake up. Which is shit... oops sorry you said not to say that. Daddy please don't not wake up because I said sh- the bad word," Morgan's tone became more and more of a plea as she spoke, "and if 3000 isn't a big enough number I can find a bigger one... Daddy please. I want you to wake up... I'll find a bigger number..."

Tony was pretty sure he heard Morgan sob. He had a strict rule that nothing was ever allowed to make her cry. That rule included him.

Tony didn't think he had any strength left, but he dug deep and he forced his eyes open. They met his daughter's and a smile spread across her tear smeared face.

"3000 is a perfect number," Was the first thing Tony managed to rasp.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't know how long this will last, but I am still feeling it so here we go for round two!

 

"Hey Morgi," Tony whispered as his daughter climbed into bed next to him. 

"Hi Daddy," Morgan smiled and curled next to him.

"Shit…" Tony hissed as shooting pain exploded through his right arm.

"What's shit?" Morgan asked sitting up.

Tony sat up just a little to examine his arm. The blanket fell away to reveal nothing.

"What the hell?" Tony whined as panic seized him, "That's not… no.. I'm…"

* * *

 

"It's okay Daddy," Morgan whispered as her father stared in shock at his shoulder.

"But it's… I-" His voice came in short panicked breaths, tight with pain, "No…"

The panic and fear in his gaze terrified Morgan more than anything else she had ever seen. His eyes darted wildly around the room as though he was searching for some kind of physical escape from his terror.

"Daddy-" Morgan's attempt to calm him down was interrupted by violent shudder shaking his body, the shocked expression on his face contorted to one of agony and he attempted to sit up. His sudden burst of desperate motion startled Morgan and she fell of the bed.

The machines hooked up to her father were beeping at loud rapid paces.

"This is wrong..." Morgan's father ranted in desperation and attempted to get out of the bed, "I have to-"

What ever he had been about to say it was cut off as he crashed to the ground dragging the IV tower with him.

Morgan screamed, fear bubbling up inside of her. This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this should have happened. None of it. Not the arm. Not the burns. Not the pain. None of it.

She was halfway around the bed when two firm hands grabbed her from behind and scooped her up.

"Hey! Daddy needs me!" Morgan spat and cried as she lifted into the air.

"Your dad'll be fine kiddo, but the doctors need to get here," Happy said sternly as he carried her toward the door and away from her father who she could still was still struggling in some desperate attempt to get up. Various nurses and doctors had already begun to gather to assist him. Morgan caught a glimpse of her mother.

"Please don't take me away!" Morgan howled. "I'll be good I promise! Please don't make me leave!" 

Morgan clawed at Happy's shoulder as he carried her out of the room. The door closed behind them.

* * *

 

"Shhh, shhh, I got you Tony. You're okay. You're safe," Pepper soothed her husband as he gasped panicked breaths, "Listen to my voice Tony. You're safe."

Tony let out a pained whimper and his body shook.

"What the hell is the matter with him?" Pepper demanded turning her gaze to Dr. Strange who was examining him.

"A mix of shock and severe panic attack," The doctor replied obviously flustered, "Hit him with the sedative."

Tony flinched as a needle sank into his good arm.

"Pepp-" He whined and turned his panicked gaze to meet Peppers.

"It's okay Tony. You are okay," Pepper attempted to calm him by cupping the healthy side of his face in her hand. She ran her other hand through his hair with calm reassurance.

"Please..." Tony's eyes fluttered closed with his final plea.

Pepper looked to Strange who nodded.

"He'll be just fine. As far as I can tell he didn't do any damage to his internal sutures," The doctor replied and let his gold magic infused hands hover above Tony for a few seconds. Then he nodded in new certainty, "He will be fine, but I suggest having at least one adult in here when he wakes up again. There is a fair chance that he won't remember what he just discovered, and there should be a proper adult who can help calm him down in here."

"Thank you," Pepper breathed and ran a hand through Tony's hair lovingly.

"We should get him back in bed," Strange commented.

"Probably right," Pepper agreed.

This would be a long recovery process. Longer than anything else they had faced, but it was worth it. She had her husband back. Their daughter would grow up with a father. Everything would be okay.

* * *

Tony woke to a gentle hand thumbing through his hair in a soothing rhythmic circle. He knew who it was even before he opened his eyes, and he allowed himself to smile. Despite the throbbing pain pounding through his body that no amount of pain killers could numb, Tony smiled and opened his eyes. He saw exactly who he had expected.

"There we are baby," His wife's voice was a hushed coo.

"Mhmm," Tony mumbled in response.

"We gonna panic again?" Pepper asked with strained amusement. The same tone she used when trying to make something awful not as... well awful.

Tony shook his head a little. He hoped he wouldn't panic.

"How bad we looking Mrs. Stark?" Tony asked softly. His voice scrapped at the back of the throat, and he was extra sure he sounded awful but he didn't especially care.

Pepper gave him a smile, but there was a hint of sadness to it.

"You've been better Mr. Potts."

Tony sighed and it burned his chest.

"I am in one piece at least."

"More or less," Pepper responded with hesitation.

"Less," Morgan popped up on the other side of the bed.

Tony lifted his head a little and faced her, raising one eyebrow, "What was that Morgoon?"

Morgan gave him a timid smile and folded her hands, "I'll let mommy tell you."

Tony turned his gaze back to Pepper.

"My arm?"

Pepper's brief nod confirmed it.

Tony exhaled attempting to regulate his breathing this time. He was okay. Morgan was okay. Pepper was okay. Everything was okay. He could live with out an arm. Right? It was either live with out an arm or not live at all apparently. Tony had been given a third chance, so the latter was not even a thought he was going to entertain.

"Well this is... well..." Tony huffed trying and failing all the same to get his breathing in check.

"We'll figure it out," Pepper placed her hand that wasn't stroking his hair, on his shoulder, and Morgan climbed onto the bed next to him.

"Yeah, you can do anything Daddy."

Tony managed to get his breathing under control as his wife and daughter moved close to him. Tony even believed them. Who needed two arms anyway?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? I like getting comments.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony debated inquiring about his other injuries, but he didn't trust himself not to panic. From his not so distant memories he knew whatever they were, they were bad.

"You hungry?" Pepper asked rubbing his shoulder.

Tony opened his mouth to answer, but Morgan spoke faster.

"Happy is on his way with burgers," Morgan blurted.

"Oh really?" Tony chuckled. His bodyguard knew him so well.

"Yeah! Him and Peter went to get some, and also go pick up some kid named Harley from the airport," Morgan responded informatively, "The burgers were my idea."

Tony smiled proudly.

"Thank- wait, did you say Harley?" Tony forced himself upright, a wave of relief and joy flooding over him. There had been so much going on after Bruce had snapped, and then he had snapped and passed out then he had freaked out and passed back out. He hadn't had time to think about- Both of his kids were back. All of his kids. They were ALL safe.

* * *

 

Harley grabbed his backpack of carry on luggage and stepped off the private jet.

He had spent the better part of his first day back with his family, and taking care of them, or maybe they took care of him. Apparently neither his mother nor sister had gotten dusty, and apparently it had been five years. Then the news had come in that there was a massive attack on the Avengers' compound. A few hours later he had received a call from Happy. 

He had tried to get the first flight out of Tennessee possible, but planes were grounded all over the country. Happy had ordered a private Stark Industries jet. The jet had taken a while to arrive, so here he was nearly 48 hours after the attack, stepping onto a New York runway.

"Hey kiddo!" Happy called from the black car parked by the runway, "Good to see you back!"

Harley laughed and picked up his pace. Happy grabbed him into a hug. Harley could feel just from the hug that the man was exhausted. Someone cleared their throat from behind Happy. Harley lifted his head from the man's shoulder and his eyes met another teen's gaze. He straightened up and Happy stepped to the side.

"Oh right, that is Peter," Happy gestured to the other boy as he slid over the hood of the car to greet Harley. 

"I'm Harley," Harley stuck his hand out to Peter.

"Peter," Peter took his hand.

"So," Harley tucked his arms neatly over his chest and raised an eyebrow, "I'm not the only one Tony decided to adopt."

Peter shuffled a little.

"Guess not," Peter responded keeping a relaxed expression his on his face.  _ Doesn't do intimidation,  _ Harley noted, "You get dusty too?"

"Yeah," Harley allowed himself to loosen up. Peter seemed cool, "Wasn't that an experience?"

"Tell me about it!" Peter laughed, "did you hear about Mr. Stark?"

"Almost dying? Yeah that's why I am here."

"Well I mean that among other thing," Peter babbled as he slipped into the back seat of the car.

"Other things?"

"Yeah! He had a really busy 5 years apparently."

"Enlighten me," Harley said as he slipped into the car.

"He got hitched-"

"To Pepper? Please tell me it was Pepper. Like if it was anyone else I swear I'll-"

"It was Pepper."

"Thank goodness," Harley breathed a sigh of relief.

"And they got busy..."

"As in..." Harley trailed off realizing what Peter meant, "A kid? Tony had a kid?!"

Peter nodded smiling from ear to ear.

"Well damn. This is amazing!"

Peter nodded again, "Her name is Morgan and she is the absolute best."

"She's Tony's kid. It would be a disappointment if she was anything less," Harley laughed.

Peter laughed too, but he lapsed into silence.

Harley frowned in concern. In the brief excitement of meeting a fellow Tony Stark adoptee he had almost forgotten the reason behind their meeting.

He glanced from Peter to Happy who was chewing his lip. Harley nodded in resignation.

"How bad is he?"

Happy cleared his throat from the driver's seat.

"He woke up from surgery three hours ago but... He..." Peter trailed off.

Harley understood the Peter's hesitancy to talk about it. 

"He had a panic attack and they had to sedate him," Happy explained in a rushed tone.

That sounded about right.

"Other than that?" Harley asked in concern.

Happy hesitated before answering, "He'll be okay."

From the tightness in the man's tone, Harley was't sure if he believed him.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Tony was just a little bit jealous that he was not allowed to eat a burger. As a matter of fact he wasn't allowed to eat at all, and he had to get all of his sustenance from an IV in his arm. It was quite lame. Especially because he couldn't do anything with his only arm because the IV would get messed up.

"You enjoying that burger?" Tony asked as Morgan sat on his legs happily chowing down on her fourth burger.

She nodded vigorously.

"Good, and everyone else?" Tony looked around the room at all of his various adopted family members. Happy and Rhodey had quit after one burger. Peter had given up after two. Pepper had declined to even eat one, and Harley was trying desperately to out burger eat Morgan. Tony didn't think he was going to be able to do it. Morgan had a very distinct  advantage. She was a Stark. No one ate more burgers than Starks. 

"Stuffed," Harley burped and resigned himself to defeat. Everyone else just nodded contently.

 

Conversation carried on for a few hours. Tony could tell that everyone was desperately trying to avoid the subject of his physical obliteration, and it was getting just the slightest bit agitating. He knew that the eye avoidance would be normal for a while until they got used to it, but he still didn't like it. It put him just a little on edge, to the point where he wanted to be alone for a while, or at least mostly alone. He was okay with Pepper and Morgan sticking around if they wanted to.

Tony let himself yawn a very long yawn, but not to long. It was the perfect yawn really, and it made him realize that he was actually quite tired. Either Rhodey caught what he was doing, or he bought Tony's stunt, either way he spoke up.

"Alright kids we've been here a while. I think it's time we head out. Peter your aunt will be wondering about you, and we need to get Harley situated at the house," Rhodey said and pulled himself to his feet.

There were brief grumbles from the boys as they got up not all to pleased.

"We'll come back in the morning. Tony needs his rest," Rhodey insisted, and the boys didn't argue anymore.

"Sleep well Tony," Harley gave Tony an affirmative smile and left the room.

"Bye Mr. Stark," Peter said and followed Harley out of the room.

"See you tomorrow buddy," Rhodey whispered and ruffled Tony's hair lovingly, "Sleep well."

"Thanks platypus," Tony replied and gave his friend a weak smile. For one reason or another smiling was getting harder the longer he stayed awake. It probably had something to with the steadily growing pain in his right side. It would probably go away with sleep, so Tony ignored it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... it all can't be fluff...

Power surged through Tony's body. He could feel it break his body as it seared up his arm and shatter through him.   
  
A hand closed around his throat and lifted him into to the air. Tony found himself face to face Thanos.   
  
"Did you really think that would work?" The Titan hissed.    
  
Tony choked on the fear and panic as the hand squeezed off his air supply. Blood from his shredded insides bubbled into his mouth. He thrashed desperately in a desperate attempt to escape the hand strangling him.   
  
He had given his all and it wasn't enough...   
  
"You can't just snap your fingers and get rid of me."   
  
"No..." Tony choked as Thanos grabbed his sword.   
  
"You can't win."   
  
Pain erupted up Tony's arm as the massive blade sliced through it. A scream tore up Tony's throat, but was choked out by the blood and the hand closing off his air ways.   
  
Thanos dropped him to the ground, and picked up his severed arm. The titan gave the glowing stones a greedy smile.   
  
"I will destroy you and everything you love."   
  
Tony mustered the last of his strength and leapt at Thanos. The titan swung his sword through the air.

 

Tony uttered a loud gasp of pain next to Pepper and pulled her out of her restless slumber.

"Tony?" Pepper whispered as she lifted her head from the side of the bed where she had been lying in a slumped heap, "Tony sweetie are you okay?"

She could tell even in the dim light of the room that there was something wrong.

"Tony wake up," Pepper whispered urgently as she brushed a hand against his sweaty cheek. His skin burned against her touch, "shit."

"What's shit?" Morgan asked sitting up from where she had curled up next to her father.

Pepper let a distressed exhale.

"Nothing Moe. Can you do Mommy a favor and go find Dr. Strange?"

"But he's scary," Morgan protested.

"Morgan now," Pepper growled. Fear spiking in her tone.

Morgan seemed to clue in that something was wrong, because this time she slid off the bed without argument.

Tony whimpered softly and squirmed a little in the bed. His pale face scrunched in pain, and his body shivered.

"Tony baby wake up," Pepper urged and pulled herself next to him on the bed.

His lips parted and he let out a strangled gurgle of pain.

"Tony!"

She shook his shoulder just as firmly as she dared. He flinched and his eyes snapped open, wide with terror and panic. He tried to sit up.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Pepper tucked one arm behind his head, and stroked his sweaty hair with the other, "You're safe Tony. You're okay."

Tony shifted over in the bed and buried his face in her shoulder. 

"Pepp…"

"It's okay Tony," Pepper whispered, "You're safe now."

"I was going to… and then he…" A violent sob shook Tony's body as he leaned into her shoulder.

"Shhh," Pepper soothed.

"I'm scared…" Tony rasped in a broken tone.

Pepper flinched ever so slightly at his words.

Tony's soft sob turned into loud gasp of pain.

"What's wrong?" Pepper demanded.

"It hurts…" Tony whimpered.

"Shhh," Pepper tried to sooth him, but his short panicked breaths continued, "Strange is on his way."

Tony just squeezed his eyes shut tight as a shudder shook his body.

"What happened?"

Pepper looked up as Strange came into the room, and flicked the light on.

"He's running a fever and… I don't know," Pepper explained, "He said something hurts."

Strange gave a nod of acknowledgment, and moved the blanket away from Tony's body.

"Shit."

Before Pepper could ask what was wrong she saw what the curse had been for. A deep crimson stain was spreading across the bandages, devouring the white in a frenzied wave.

Tony's tense boy went lax in Pepper's arms and the machine next to the beeped loudly. The numbers began to plummet.


	6. Chapter 6

Rhodey pulled himself sluggishly off the couch, and half walked half stumbled over to the counter where his ringing phone was plugged in. The time in the upper corner read 4:23 am, and the picture on the screen was Happy. Something was wrong. Happy was never up this late

"Sseverything okay Hap?" Rhodey mumbled as he slid the answer button.

"Pepper called me ten minutes ago-"

"And?"

"Tony is back in going back into surgery…" Happy replied concern spiking in his tone.

"What?!" Rhodey became very much more awake as the news hit him, "Why? What happened? He was fine earlier."

"They don't know. He woke about 30 minutes ago running a high fever and in a lot of pain," Happy explained, "He… he was also bleeding."

"Shit," Rhodey hissed.

"What's so shit?"

Rhodey spun around to see Harley standing in the hallway illuminated by the light of the bathroom behind him.

"Hap I- I gotta go. I'll call you back."

"You and the boys should probably come. I am already here with Morgan."

"We'll be there," Rhodey replied and hung up.

Harley stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What's wrong with Tony?"

Rhodey sighed.

"Rhodey?" Harley pressed.

"They don't know. There were some kind of complications."

Harley's eyebrows furrowed further.

"Are we going to go to the hospital?"

"Happy thinks we should."

Harley nodded slowly, "I'll go wake Peter up."

* * *

 

Pepper slid into Tony's pre-op room after getting permission from Dr. Cho. Her husband lay silent and very still as she slipped across the room, and sat down in the chair next to him. She rested a tired hand on his pale sweaty forehead, and tried to keep her tears back

 

"Hey Pepp," Tony mumbled and turned his head to look at her.

"Hey sweetie," Pepper replied and stroked his cheek, "How are you feeling?"

Tony did a half shake of his head. 

"You'll be okay," Pepper soothed, "The doctors are looking over your charts. They'll figure out what's wrong."

Tony shook his head ever so slightly a second time.

"Pepp…"

Pepper gave him the best smile she could muster, "Everything will be okay."

"I'm sorry," Tony mouthed. Pain and fear danced across his face, and flickered in his dull brown eyes, "I can't…"

"Shhh," Pepper stroked his uninjured cheek with her thumb.

"I don't want to die Pepp…" Tony rasped weakly.

"You're not going to die Tony. You're safe here. We'll all take care of you."

Tony shook his head again and coughed; A trickle of blood slipped out of his nose and slid down his face. Panic grabbed Pepper. That wasn’t supposed to happen.

“...mm’sorry Pepp…” Tony rasped one last apology before his eyes fluttered closed.

* * *

 

"Son of a bitch!" Stephen swore as soon he realized his potentially fatal mistake.

"What?" Dr. Cho and Dr. Banner asked simultaneously as they  spun around from where they were looking at various tests and scans.

"Brain damage," Stephen growled holding up the more recent of the two brain scans they took of Stark, "We missed it the first time."

"Shit," Bruce hissed, obviously seeing what he had just noticed, "We're going to have to operate."

"I know," Stephen growled. 

He himself would not be able to do the operation. He would have to stand by and talk Cho and Banner through it.

He hated it.

"Guys we have a development," A nurse spoke urgently as she poked her head into the room, "You need to come quick"

"Bruce stay and prep the the OR," Stephen ordered as he followed the nurse out of the room.

"What happened?" Helen asked as she trailed Stephen and the nurse.

"His wife was in with him, and he started bleeding," The nurse explained.

"Where was he bleeding?"

"Nose and ears. Then he passed out," The nurse replied as they entered the pre-op room.

Stephen took one look at Stark's pale form and knew that they were all in for another very long night.


	7. Chapter 7

"Pepper please sit down," Rhodey whispered and pulled her into a comforting hug.

"I can't," Pepper protested, and tried to pull away from him.

"Pepper…" Rhodey pleaded, "Please?"

"James he's in there and he's going… what if?"

"Shhh," Rhodey soothed stroking her tangled hair, "Tony is strong. He'll pull through."

"What if-"

"No Pepper. No what ifs. Tony will be fine."

"Rhodey I almost lost him and then… and now? I can't do this!" Pepper sobbed and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Hey it's okay Pepper. Tony is in good hands. He'll pull through."

Pepper just shook her head and cried harder. Rhodey sighed and gently guided Pepper to the closest chair. She didn't protest only curled close to him and continued to cry. Rhodey rubbed her back, and kept her close. He was grateful that Morgan was asleep on Happy's lap. Her seeing Pepper cry was not something she needed to see. It would only give her more fear of what was happening.

The doors to the icu opened and a very tired looking Stephen Strange stepped through. Rhodey nudged Pepper, and she instantly sat up. Stephen approached and got down on one knee in front up the chair. Fear and panic flooded Pepper's gaze and Strange took one of her hands in his.

"He pulled through," Strange said slowly.

Pepper let out a thin breath. Rhodey studied the man. There was something else. Something bad.

"What's the bad news?" Rhodey asked.

Strange's gaze flickered to him for a brief moment and then back to Pepper.

"He…" Strange trailed off and thought for a second, "He wielded the full force of a weapon that was never meant to created nor used by any mortal or cosmic being a like. The body was never built to withstand that much power and energy-"

"What are you saying?" Pepper interrupted.

Strange bowed his head and shook it slowly.

"I'm saying that… that he is never going to make a full recovery."

Pepper tensed under Rhodey's protective arm.

"What do you mean?" Pepper choked. 

 

Stephen sighed. He along with Dr. Banner and Dr. Cho had hope that Stark would be able to make a full recovery and maybe go back to some kind of version of a normal life, but it just wasn't going to work out that way.

"As I was trying to explain, the human body is not built to survive what your husband survived. It's not physically capable of recovering from something like that."

"Are you telling me he is going to die?" Pepper demanded.

There were a lot of things he could say here, but he settled for the most encouraging.

"What I am saying is that he will live, but it will be difficult and painful."

Pepper nodded slowly, "What are we talking? Long term I mean."

Stephen sighed again and pulled a chair around so he could sit.

"Starting on the low end of the scale, he will have to have regular check ups to make sure his body doesn't reject the organ transplants, which will always be a danger," Stephen began going through the extensive list, and the distinct possibilities that the muscles in the right side of his body would never fully recover, and how physical therapy could be helpful to a degree, and would definitely be needed, but in the long run it wouldn't do much for him. Nothing would ever be the same for Stark or his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what they say, it's gotta get worse before it can better.


	8. Chapter 8

Everything hurt all the time. It had been three months since Thanos and the snap, and Tony was tired. He was tired of hiding his pain to make Pepper, Morgan, and everyone else think he was okay. He was tired of night mares and secret panic attacks, and he was tired of hiding them, but he did it anyway. He didn't want worry and stress Pepper any more. Everyone knew he had already done that enough during the first week of his recovery. For a long time he had actually believed that he could keep the act up, but it proved more and more difficult with every passing day.

Worse than the physical tole was the mental and emotional one. He missed having Morgan sit on his lap, and he missed picking her up. He missed getting hugs from her. A few times she had forgotten and hugged him and he had been unable to conceal his gasp of pain. Then she had felt bad, and he had felt bad for putting that guilt on her. Not being able to do normal fatherly things, and really be there for Morgan was slowly killing his will power to keep chugging along like everything was okay, which was why he was going to make it so he didn't have to pretend anymore. He was going to fix his failing body and make everything all better.

* * *

 

Pepper knew Tony was not as okay as he pretended to be. She noticed the small things. His tiny flinches, that one had to know in order to know they were there, when he moved just wrong. His secretive gasps of pain when he thought he was alone. The all to long trips the bathroom that could only be serving the purpose of escaping when his ability to hold a smile slipped. Pepper knew him to well for him to successfully truly hide things from her. She knew he was hurting, even if she hadn't noticed all his tells of pain, she would have been able to tell by looking into his eyes. Tony Stark had the best poker face in existence, unless you looked deep his eyes. His eyes were to deep and expressive to keep his secrets. Pepper could see the pain in them everyday.

She had attempted many times to get him to talk about it but he always brushed off her concerns with some new bull shit. He was slipping and his walls were going. Pepper was afraid for him. She had seen him reach breaking points after trauma before, and they always ended in near death experiences for both of them. She was afraid of what would happen if he bottled this one up to long.

* * *

 

"And how are we doing today?" Helen asked Tony as she examined him.

"You're my regular doctor now. Right?" Tony replied not gracing her question with an answer.

"I suppose so," She sighed and examined where he used to have an arm, "Have you been putting the cream on that and the other burn scars like I told you to?"

"Sometimes," Tony responded briefly before changing the subject in the direction he wanted it go, "So since you're my doctor you are bound by the doctor patient confidentiality agreement. Right?"

Helen looked up from where she was examining his severely scared side, and frowned.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I need to be honest with someone who is going to be professional, and also isn't allowed to tell people."

"Be honest about what?" Helen questioned sitting back on her stool.

"Does it apply?" Tony insisted.

He wasn't saying anything until he knew for sure.

"Yes it applies, now what's bugging you?" Helen responded with care. "Lay back."

Tony obeyed.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Hurts," Tony finished.

Helen furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Any specific places hurt more  than others?" The doctor asked in concern.

"Breathing," Tony admitted. 

Some days it hurt more than others, but there was always uncomfortable straining of his muscles, and stabbing pain the lung itself.

"How long has it been bugging you?"

"Off and on since I woke up. Mostly on."

He had gotten mostly used to functioning with the pain, but occasionally it was to much and he would lock himself away in the privatest part of the house until he could get a grip.

"Anywhere else?" Helen asked gently resting her stethoscope against his side to listen to his breathing.

Tony snorted. The more appropriate question was where didn't it hurt.

"Moving, talking, eating, hell even sleeping," Tony replied.

"Have you been taking your pain meds?"

Tony nodded.

"They only do so much," Tony whispered.

"I know. We'll figure something out."

Tony scoffed inwardly. To many people had said the phrase "we'll figure it out" to him in the past 4 months. He was sick of it. He had yet to see any evidence of things being figured out.

"I should go," Tony said concealing his grimace as he sat up. The muscles in his body tugged and screamed at him as he moved.

"You should let Pepper know what's going on," Helen called after him as he slipped out the door. 

That wasn't going to happen. She needed to believe he was okay. Everyone did.

* * *

 

Pepper eyed Tony up and down as he slipped into the car. He looked more agitated than his normal constant state of annoyance.

"You okay?"

Tony snorted and turned his head to the window, "Just tired. Let's go home."

Pepper sighed and started the car.

"What'd she say?"

Tony's response a was a little head shake.

Pepper didn't ask him any more questions. Eventually she knew she would have to push the conversation into existence, but she didn't want to do that to him just yet. In the past he opened up on his own, she wanted that to be the case here, but it wasn't looking likely.


	9. Chapter 9

Tony slapped his hand down on the table in frustration as the 34th render of a safe usable version Extremis failed.

"Sir let me remind you that it took Ms. Hansen over 4 years to get to the unstable Extremis she had, and another 13 years after that to get the slightly safer slightly more stable version."

Tony growled under his breath at Friday's comment.

"Well I'm not Ms. Hansen. I figured time travel out in less than a night, so surely this shouldn't be that hard considering IT ALREADY EXISTS!" Tony hissed.

"Sir may I suggest you take a break? Your elevated heart rate could send you into-"

"Shut up Friday," Tony growled as pain brought on by nothing specific clawed through his body, "nah… damn it…"

Tony lowered himself slowly to the floor, and took in tiny shallow breaths trying desperately to make the pain crushing his lung stop. He let himself go as limp as possible in an attempt to ease the twisting muscle pain crushing the right side of his body. 

He had visited five different doctors in the past three weeks since his last appointment with Dr. Cho, Pepper didn't know about any of them. They had all said the same thing. We'll figure it out, and then they had told him to keep taking his pain medication, that at this point had pretty much stopped working. Tony had ignored that bit of advise. He had stopped taking the medicine. If it wasn't working he didn't need it in his system.

"We'll figure this out boss," Friday said obviously trying to be encouraging.

"Gah! Shut the fuck up!" Tony cried and slammed his fist back into the counter.

The pain had reduced back to its usually low throbbing enabling Tony to move again. He was tired of being lied to. No one was actually going to figure out how to fix him. He would probably rattle around for a year or two at best and then the pain would probably kill him. Tony worked his way to the locked kitchen cabinet and forced it open not particularly caring that he had broken the door and the lock. He took down a bottle and a glass, and for the first time in nearly eight years Tony poured himself a glass of whiskey.

* * *

 

Pepper walked into the house holding Morgan's hand. Her gaze went from Tony sitting at the kitchen counter with his face buried in hands to the open whiskey bottle and then up to the broken liquor cabinet door. She sighed.

"Morgan baby please go to your room," Pepper ordered her daughter.

"What did I do?!" Morgan cried.

"Nothing sweety, just please go to your room."

Morgan must have caught the stern urgency in her tone, because she didn't argue anymore.

"I love you daddy," Morgan called as she darted across the open living room to her bed room.

Tony lifted his head at the sound of Morgan's voice.

Pepper didn't speak until the door clicked closed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Pepper demanded as soon as she deemed it safe.

"Sitting," Tony replied dryly.

"I'm not blind."

"Never said you were."

Pepper folded her arms over her chest.

"You know that isn't going to help," Pepper said firmly nodding at the open bottle on the counter.

"I beg to differ," Tony mumbled.

"Tony this isn't the way," Pepper grabbed for the bottle, but Tony pulled it away.

"Then there isn't a way at all."

"Tony please stop. We'll figure it out-"

"GAH! SHUT UP!" Tony sprang up anger dancing into his deep brown eyes.

"Tony-"

"NO! PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THAT!" Tony shouted, "AND HERE I AM! FIVE  _ MONTHS  _ LATER AND NOTHING! NOTHING PEPPER! NOTHING IS GETTING BETTER. THE FUCKING PAIN KILLERS DON'T EVEN HELP!!!"

 

For the first time in her life Morgan heard her father shout. For the first time in her life she heard her mother shout back. Morgan abandoned her eavesdropping post and retreated to a corner of her room, dragging her blankets and stuffed animals with her. She curled herself into a protective nest of blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows and she listened as her parents shouted back and forth. She had never heard them fight before. She wished it would stop.

 

"Tony you need to stop!"

"I can't!" Tony shouted and accidentally knocked the bottle on the ground.

Glass and whiskey sprayed across the kitchen floor as the bottle shattered. It took every ounce of Pepper's self control not to flinch. She didn't know if she had ever seen him this worked up and angry.

"Tony you can't just drink away your problems! You learned years ago that doesn't work!"

"I need an out!" Tony yelled, his voice cracking in pain.

"Well this isn't it Tony!" Pepper shouted back, "It is dangerous!"

"It's fine Pepper!"

"Did you seriously just say that?!" Pepper cried.

Tony just shook his head miserably.

"Nothing is working…" Pepper softened her glare as hopeless pain flooded Tony's eyes, "It all hurts."

Pepper relaxed a little.

"It won't stop Pepp..." Tony whimpered, "It just…"

Tony trailed off into a loud gasp of pain and collapsed.

"Tony!" Pepper cried and rushed to his side where he collapsed against the counter. "Tony?" 

Tony's gaze flicked up to her ever so slightly as she slid and arm around him.

"Mmms-sorry Pepp…" Tony whispered.

"It's okay baby," Pepper whispered and pulled her husband closer, "What's wrong? What's happening to you?"

He shook his head and coughed.

"You're fine, you're fine Tony," Pepper tried to be reassuring.

"It hurts Pepp," Tony whimpered and tucked his head into her shoulder.

"You're okay," Pepper assured him.

Tony shook his head ever so slightly and let out another gasp of pain.

"... Help me..." Tony gasped as his body shuttered.

Panic gripped Pepper. He had been fine, or relatively fine. The doctors had said he would be fine.

Tony let out a loud cry of pain and writhed in Pepper's arms.

"Shit," Pepper swore, "Friday! Call Happy right now and tell him to come get Morgan. I am taking Tony to the hospital."

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall remember Dr. Strange's girlfriend, or ex? Friend lady? I don't remember the nature of their relationship at the end of the movie, but um yeah any way she is in this chapter!

The door to Morgan's room slid open and she looked up from blankets expecting to see her parents, but was instead met by Happy stepping into the room.

"Hey kiddo," Happy coaxed and sat himself down on the edge of her bed, "Wanna come out of your hiding spot?"

"Are Mommy and Daddy done fighting?" Morgan whimpered and lifted her head from her nest of blankets.

"Yeah they're done fighting," Happy replied comfortingly.

"So why are you here instead of them?" Morgan demanded.

"Come here Morgan."

Morgan obeyed and climbed onto the bed next to him. Happy tucked his arm around her and pulled him close. Morgan happily leaned her head against his side.

"Where did they go?" Morgan asked looking up at Happy.

Happy sighed.

"Your mom took your dad to the hospital," Happy answered with another sigh.

"Why?" Morgan sat up in alarm.

"He's uh… remember how he got hurt really badly a few months ago?"

Morgan nodded. She couldn't really forget about it, because the injuries were still affecting him.

"Well it's still hurting him, so they went to the hospital to get it figured out."

Morgan could tell from Happy's voice that there was more to it, but she knew she wasn't going to get a straight answer so she didn't press the subject.

"Can we go get cheese burgers?" Morgan asked instead.

* * *

 

Stephen sighed as he looked over the results from their various tests, and tossed the papers down on the table. 

"You okay Stephen?" 

Stephen looked up in surprise to see Christine standing in the doorway.

"Yeah,  _ I  _ am fine," Stephen replied and ran his hands frustratedly through his hair.

"But the patent isn't," She finished his sentence understandingly.

Stephen nodded.

"You know I have had to do this like a 1000 times!" He growled, "But I don't know why I just… I can't do it. Not this time."

Christine gave him smile.

"It's because you care beyond your normal patient physician status," Christine whispered and reached across the table to hold his shaking hands, "How long have you known?"

Stephen chuckled dryly.

"Since we saved him. I didn't know it was set in stone at the time, but I knew it was the likely outcome."

"But you told them the very unlikely outcome?"

"I thought if he believed it he might…"

"You did the right thing."

"Did I? False hope?"

Christine shook her head, "I think Stark knew."

Stephen nodded; he was pretty sure she was right.

"But everyone else doesn't."

"They need to know."

"What if it isn't true?"

Christine frowned and picked up the scans and pictures strewn out on the table where Stephen had tossed them.

"You and I both know it is," Christine responded after only a few minutes of looking over the paper, "Here, I'll go with you."

Christine tugged Stephen to his feet. He sighed and followed her out of the room, and toward the waiting room. 

Christine squeezed his hand as Pepper approached.

"Please tell me something good," Pepper begged.

Stephen held back his sigh and pulled away from Christine.

"Come sit down," Stephen said softly and guided Pepper to a seat.

"What's wrong?" Pepper questioned tearing into him with her intense green eyes, "Stephen?"

Stephen sighed and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Pepper, but he…" Stephen trailed off, "Pepper, Tony is dying."


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey Tony," Pepper whispered and slid his hand into hers.

Tony's eyes flickered open and he turned his head ever so slightly.

"Hey Pepp…"

He gave her a weak smile. Pepper returned his smile and wiped away the tear that had been working its way down her cheek.

"That bad?" Tony mumbled.

Pepper nodded silently. She didn't even know where to start.

Tony sighed, "How long?"

"What do you mean?" Pepper choked.

Tony guided her hand to his lips and pressed his lips against it.

"Come on Pepp. Don't play dumb," Tony rasped, "How long do I have?"

Pepper sighed and stroked his pale forehead.

"Don't worry about it."

"Pepp," Tony insisted and grabbed her hand, "It's okay, you don't have to lie."

Pepper shook her head.

"Come on Pepp," Tony pleaded.

"Few weeks. Maybe a month," Pepper forced the truth out into the open for the first time.

It was so much more horrible now that she was saying it out loud.

"Could be worse," Tony choked trying valiantly to lighten the mood, but failing all the same, "You could have to put up with me longer than that."

"Gosh! Tony! Shut up!" Pepper snapped.

Tony kissed her hand, "It's okay Pepp."

"How can you say that?!" Pepper cried.

She was beginning to realize that Tony was not the only one who bottled things up.

"Because I have to."

"What…"

Tony swallowed and shifted his head on the pillow so he was looking into her face.

"I knew whatever they tried wasn't going to be enough. I hoped. I hoped so much that it would be, but Pepp I knew it was a lie."

"No, Tony it wasn't. We'll figure something out. You've survived-"

"Worse? Were going to say worse?" 

Pepper closed her mouth and shook her head.

"We had our false hope Pepp. Now it's time to be honest."

"I don't want to be honest Tony. I want our life back. I don't want a few weeks. I want our future back Tony," Pepper couldn't keep her sobs back any longer.

* * *

 

Despite the pain and effort it exerted Tony tucked his arm around his crying wife's shoulders and guided her head to his chest. Her head resting against him put pressure on his lungs making it more of a struggle to breathe, but he ignored it. She needed to be close, and no amount of pain was going to stop him from comforting her.

"Shhh," Tony soothed and ran his fingers through her soft hair, "We still have a future Pepp. It might be a great deal shorter than the one we both dreamed of, but it's still there, and I know it's not much but some time is better than none."

"It's not long enough," Pepper sniffled.

"I know, but it's what we have," Tony whispered.

* * *

 

Harley pulled his back pack a little higher up onto his back and stepped out of the Wakandan internal airport. He knew where he needed to go, and he knew who needed to see. The only problem was he didn't exactly know how to successfully sneak into the royal palace, or how to get to the lab. If he was lucky he might be able to get into one of the tour groups and be able to sneak off part of the way through. He was excellent at sneaking.

* * *

"Look everyone. It is the princess of Wakanda."

Shuri froze in her tracks as the tour guide pointed her out to the group. She spun on her heels and gave the group a generalized wave.

"Hi everyone!"

A few people snapped photos, which made a little bit of sense, but not really. She was just a person.

One boy in the back of the group, about her age, perked his head up more attentively than the rest of the group, as though he had more in mind than bragging rights. He held eye contact with her and pushed through the group of people. She was tempted to make her escape, but he obviously wanted something from her and her curiosity forced her to stay and find out what.

"Can I talk to you please, miss… your majesty-"

Everyone made odd displeased sounds as though his request was more outrageous than them taking pictures of her like she was an exhibit.

"Depends on what," Shuri responded crossing her arms.

"I know you are the head of science and technology here… or the whole world, I need your help."

Shuri narrowed her eyes. The people behind him shifted uncomfortably as though they were embarrassed on the teen's behalf.

"What do you need help with?"

The teen glanced nervously around him.

"Em… is there anyway we could-"

"Oh right. We can talk at a McDonald's or something, so you don't have to spill the beans to a random group of strangers," Shuri laughed.

The boy laughed nervously. 

"Come on," Shuri beckoned him over.

"Thank you so much!" The boy said as he fell into step with her, "Oh I'm Harley by the way."

"Lovely to meet you," Shuri responded, "and you don't have to use the your majesty garbage here. Just call me Shuri."

"Cool," Harley replied sliding his hands into his pockets.

"So what did you need help with?"

"Oh… um it is kind of a lot and a long story and I have a lot of research papers and stuff…"

"Okay, start simple, what does it have to do with?"

Harley stopped walking a once deeply submerged look of fear and sadness emerged in his gaze.

"What?" Shuri questioned.

"Tony Stark is… is um, well first off he's like a father to me and..."

"And second?" Shuri questioned as  Harley trailed off.

"He- he's dying.

Shuri almost choked on her own sudden intake of air as she gasped.

"What do you mean?! I thought… heard he was fine!" Shuri hadn't actually gotten the chance to meet him after the battle due to his medical emergency, but the man was still her role model. He had inspired her when she was quite young to take to inventing.

"No one outside of family and friends knows," Harley explained.

"But what happened?!"

"They haven't told me much due to my status as a teenager, but I know it's bad, and I know it has to do with underlying issues from his snap."

Shuri frowned.

"What kind of issues?"

"That is kind of part of what I was hoping you could help me with."

"You want me to hack medical records?"

"And help me find a way to make him better."

Shuri was pretty sure she could do both of those things.

"Sounds like a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kids have a plan!  
> Feel free to comment and leave input!


	12. Chapter 12

Steve was the first of the team to arrive at the hospital, accompanied by Sam and Bucky. 

"How's he doing?" Steve asked as he was greeted by Rhodey.

Rhodey shook his head solemnly, "He's getting worse. Fast."

"I'm sorry," Steve sighed and rested a reassuring hand on Rhodey's shoulder.

He nodded sadly.

"We got here as soon as we could," Steve explained.

He, Sam, and Bucky had all been on a mission and it had taken them a day to get back after they got the call.

"It's fine Steve," Rhodey assured him.

"Can I go see him?" Steve asked hesitantly.

Rhodey nodded his head toward a room "He's in there."

"Thank you," Steve replied and made his way to the room.

Pepper was sitting vigilantly next to her unconscious husband as Steve entered the room. Tony's looked liked like a ghost where he lay silent and still on the hospital bed. He was hooked to about four different machines. He looked like he might bow away and vanish at any second.

"Do you think I could have a minute with him?" Steve asked hesitantly.

Pepper sighed and looked from Tony to Steve.

"Sure," She agreed and got up from her chair. She gave Tony a kiss on the forehead before making her exit.

"Thank you Pepper," Steve called after her and then plopped himself down into the chair next to Tony's bed.

"How's it going Cap?" Tony rasped weakly without opening his eyes.

"Could be better," Steve replied.

"Agreed," Tony responded with a cough.

"I'm sorry," Steve apologized, and he meant it.

"For what?" Tony rasped.

"Dragging you back in. I should have made you sit this one out."

"Nobody blames you Cap."

"I do."

Tony opened his eyes and maneuvered his head to meet Steve's gaze.

"This isn't on you."

"It is Tony. I dragged you back into this. You were happy, peaceful, relaxed, Tony you have a family, and I pulled you back in."

"Nah," Tony shrugged, "I made my own choice Rogers, and uh… I don't regret it."

Steve opened his mouth to jump in, but Tony kept talking.

"I don't regret what I did. It had to be done, and I would do it all over again. I have no regrets about the choices I made."

Steve sighed.

"I was wrong about you."

Tony raised a cynical eyebrow.

"I mean all those years ago when this mess started," Steve explained, "I was wrong and probably a little too much of a hard ass."

The corner of Tony's mouth twitched.

"We both could have done better on the friendship aspect of our relationship I think," Tony rasped, "We probably should have tried harder."

"I think you're right. There were resentments and expectations, and neither were really addressed or met. Not that the expectations should have been met, or even had in the first place," Steve mused.

"They got in the way," Tony responded weakly. 

"It's neither and both of our faults."

Tony nodded and closed his eyes.

"It was good to see you Steve."

"I'm sticking around Tony," Steve informed him.

"Make sure and take care of everyone after…" Tony trailed off.

"I will. Don't worry about it," Steve assured him.

"Thanks…" Tony mumbled before coughing.

The machine next to him counting his heart rate began rapidly beeping as the numbers skyrocketed.

* * *

 

"Wait! I think I got it!" Harley cried and dashed over to Shuri waving a piece of paper, "We reduce the epinephrine so it matches the somatotropin. Like bind them so that there isn't an imbalance."

"I don't think that's where the overheating and fiery death comes into play," Shuri countered, "It happens with the hyper binding of cells and them trying to regrow. The body overheats."

"So we need a cooling aid, something to slow down the hyper regeneration heating."

"Oh! I didn't think of that!" Shuri cried in excitement, "I have an idea!"

"Great! What is it?"

"We have these flower things that are the thing that give the black panther his strength and they heal."

"Why don't we just take one and give it to him?!" Harley cried.

"Because it's… it'd be dangerous, and not enough. It could also be to painful and do more damage than good."

"Then why the hell did you suggest it?" Harley demanded.

"Because we can use some of it, IF we can manage to sneak one out of the garden, we extract the healing citrus and bind it with what we already have."

"Let's steal a flower!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just threw some random sciencey words in there that have some pertinence to what is going on in there...


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey Tony."

Tony forced his heavy eyelids open to discover Nat sitting on the side of his bed. Everyone else seemed to have vanished from the room.

"Hey Nat… long time no see," Tony wheezed.

"You look like shit buddy," Natasha whispered and rested a hand on his left cheek.

"Feel like it too," Tony rasped.

Natasha sighed and looked down at him sadly.

"I'm sorry Tony."

"Not your fault," Tony mumbled weakly, "Why is it that you always come along when I'm knocking on death's door."

"Because I can convince you to play ding dong ditch."

"You trying to do that now?" Tony asked.

"Not sure."

"Hmm… That's to bad."

"Yeah. I might be opening the door this time," Nat replied and ruffled his hair.

"Any way you could slam it in my face?"

"Depends."

"On?" 

"You have some smart kids Stark."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Harley doesn't give up."

"Where's he at by the way?" Tony asked lifting his head up, "Everyone else has come out of the woodwork over the past week and half."

"He's busy."

"Oh…"

"Thanks for what you did Tony," Natasha said after a pause, "you made it worth it. Bruce too. Can you tell him I really appreciated his offer to take me back?"

"Offer?"

"He tried to bring me back, but I'm supposed to stay, so I did."

"Sure I'll tell him."

"Do me one other favor will you?"

"Yeah?"

"Try to play ding dong ditch. I don't know if I can put up with you for eternity."

Tony laughed, and Natasha joined him.

"Goodbye Tony."

"It was nice seeing you," Tony replied.

"Wish it was better circumstances." 

Tony smiled, and the last thing he saw before everything fuzzed to black was Nat's loving smile as she stroked his cheek.

* * *

 

Tony opened his eyes and lifted his head a little.

"Where'd Nat go?" Tony rasped, pain and confusion clouding his tired eyes.

Stephen narrowed his eyes. Stark was digressing faster than they had thought. Stephen had originally thought he would last a month. Now, less than two weeks after the discovery of Stark's fate, he estimated the man wouldn't last much longer than three days. His right lung had completely failed, the left one was just around the bend. His liver and kidneys were getting closer to failure every hour, and the rest of his body was tired and broken. The teams working around the clock to find a way to save him still had nothing. They were fighting an uphill battle and losing miserably.

"Tony,  Nat was never here," Tony's wife comforted him, "It was just a dream."

Tony whimpered and rested his head back in the pillow closing his eyes.

"Pepper can I speak with you?" Stephen asked.

"Sure," Pepper replied hesitantly, and brushed Tony's cheek with her fingers before standing up and following him out of the crowded room.

"What is it?" She asked closing the door behind her.

"I have been holding out on this option for as long as possible just because it is best to avoid it but…" Stephen hesitated, "He is in a lot of pain, and I think it would be wise to heavily sedate him, and I mean more than he already is."

"Will that help?"

"It won't necessarily slow down his deterioration, but it will put him at ease until…"

"He dies?"

Stephen nodded, "He will be peacefully asleep, and when the time comes, he'll slip off and not feel a thing. I understand if you don't want to, so you can spend more time with him-"

"Do it," Pepper said firmly, "what I need doesn't matter right now."

"I disagree, but I will put him under." 

Pepper's strength never ceased to amaze him. It wasn't fair that this was happening to her and her family.


	14. Chapter 14

"Run the test," Shuri ordered the computer system.

"This better work," Harley whispered eyes glued to the 3D render.

"It will," Shuri replied.

Harley silently reached over and slipped his hand into Shuri's. She squeezed it reassuringly.

"Test successful."

"HOLY SHIT!" Harley whooped for joy and leapt into Shuri's arms.

She hugged him back.

"It worked, holy shit it worked!" Harley sobbed into Shuri's shoulder.

"We still have to get to New York  and give it to him," Shuri replied.

"I'll buy plane tickets right now-"

"Skip the plane tickets we'll take one of the palace jets," Shuri said pushing past Harley to grab the case of 10 vials, "We can skip customs and stuff."

* * *

 

Peter sat with his chin rested on Tony's bed. He had given up on trying not to cry, and he didn't care if people saw him, not that anyone was going to judge. Strange had said he had 12 hours at best. Peter hated every passing second, waiting for the inevitable end was the worst thing he had every felt, and he had died. Morgan had been completely silent during the past week. Peter wondered whether she actually understood what was happening. Part of him hoped she didn't.

* * *

 

Pepper kept Tony tucked close to her, his head rested on her chest where she gently ran her fingers through his sweaty hair. His fever had set in about an hour ago and had been followed by a series of small seizures. They had given him a muscle relaxant, but all attempts to bring his fever down had failed. 

He was literally slipping away and dying in her arms and there was nothing she could do. He probably didn't even know she was there.

Pepper cleared her throat and everyone in the room looked up.

"Can I have some time with him?" Pepper requested.

She knew it was probably selfish, but she wanted the last few hours with him to herself. She had things she needed to say to him, that he probably wouldn't even hear, but she needed to try.

"Yeah," Rhodey was the first to respond, "Let's clear out guys."

To Pepper's relief everyone obeyed, and cleared out of the room casting mournful glances at Tony as they went. The door slid closed as Steve trailed out of the room last.

"Strange said you can still hear me," Pepper whispered kissing the top of Tony's head, "I don't know how true that is, but I have a few things I need you to know."

Tony shifted his head a little.

"I'm proud of you Tony," Pepper mumbled into his hair, "I'm sorry if I didn't say it enough," Pepper sniffled, "This um… it really sucks, like REALLY it's the worst, but I need you to know that the past 25 years have been… Tony being with you… I wouldn't change a thing. I love you, and these years we've had have been the joy of my life."

The corner of Tony's pale lips curled up into a weak half smile.

"Thanks Pepp…" He rasped barely moving his lips, "Love you…"

She wasn't sure he how he had managed to pull himself out of deep sleep they had put him in, but Pepper smiled all the same and kissed the top of his head.

"We'll be okay Tony," Pepper soothed, "We'll-"

Pepper was interrupted by fist wrapping against the door. She sighed.

"Come in."

Harley followed by the princess of Wakanda cascaded into the room chests heaving and eyes excited and nervous.

"We've got it," Harley panted holding up a vile of glowing purple fluid "We figured it out…"

Pepper sat up a little more. Tony whimpered at her movement.

"What do you mean? Figured what out?" Pepper asked cautiously.

"We… we have a- a cure," Princess Shuri panted moving around Harley to look at her, "It will heal him. We couldn't master limb regrowth, but it will heal all the internal damage and nerve damage."

"And you're sure it works?" Pepper demanded and gently placed Tony's head on the pillow so she could get up, "Are you 100% sure it will work?"

Pepper tried very hard not to let her hopes rise. If she hoped and then this didn't work she was pretty sure it would kill her.

"It will work. We ran thousands upon thousands of renders and tests on the way over. It is stable, and it will save him."

"Let me get Strange," Pepper breathed, the confidence in the teens' voices told her what they were saying was true.


	15. Chapter 15

Stephen looked over Shuri and Harley's detailed report and other papers on their serum. All of the science and test seemed completely plausible. He was skeptical, but it was much better than anything anyone else had come up with. It was a chance, a very significant one, and with Stark's time steadily running out there really weren’t any other options.

“They’re right. It could work,” Stephen informed Pepper.

“Will. It will work,” Shuri corrected from behind him.

“Even if it is just a chance, we have to take it. There is nothing else try. Let’s do it," Pepper replied, "We have too."

 

“This place is nice,” Tony mused as he stepped through the door of his hospital room and out on to a white beach.

“Sure is,” Natasha smiled, “But I don’t think you should be here just yet.”

Tony tilted his head a little and looked across the white beach and white tipped waves.

“I agree,” Tony agreed.

“You still have a lot to do at home I think. Someday this will be your home, but not yet.”

Tony gave a Nat a smile.

“We miss you, you know,” Tony informed her.

She gave him a sad smile, “I know, make sure they know I miss them too.” 

“I will,” Tony assured her as she guided him back to the door.

“Take care of my family Tony,” Natasha said sternly looking him in the eyes.

“You know I will,” Tony responded and pulled the woman into a hug.

She hugged him back.

“Goodbye Tony.”

With her final goodbye she pushed him back and closed the door in his face, blocking him from the white shores that were not yet his to call home. Tony smiled. She had slammed the door in his face.

 

“It will probably take some time to completely work its magic, but he won’t get worse,” Shuri explained after the serum was injected into Tony’s IV.

“Will it help with the pain?” Pepper asked as she watched the fluid run into her husband’s arm.

“It should. The nerves healing will be painful no matter what, but this will fix him,” Shuri responded.

“It’ll probably be a good idea to leave him sedated for a while, just to give it time to really kick in,” Harley added.

“Thank you two so much," Pepper breathed. 

For the first time in almost two weeks Pepper found herself able to properly breathe, and she didn't feel like her heart was going give out. For the first time in five months she actually believed that everything would indeed be okay. 

"Thank Harley. I would have never even known what was going on unless he had hunted me down," Shuri corrected.

Harley squirmed awkwardly, "Well I wouldn't have gotten anywhere if you hadn't listened to my cry for help."

Pepper smiled sensing an untapped chemistry between the two. A rare chemistry, a special one.

"That's why I thanked both of you," Pepper responded to the two's attempts to put the other on the pedestal, "And Shuri you'll have to stick around until Tony wakes up."

"Gladly!" Shuri replied with a new kind of joy spreading across her face.

"Tony would like you I think."

Shuri beamed.


	16. Chapter 16

Tony woke up to find his wife tucked protectively against his left side, with her head tucked into the crook of his neck, her fingers interlaced with his. A small snore escaped her lips as she nestled a little closer to him. Tony smiled and kissed the top of her head. He wasn't exactly sure how, but all of the pain had left his body, and not in the way it did when one was racked up on painkillers, but in a natural way. Tony wondered if he was still dying. He didn't feel like it.

"Wake up sleepy head," Tony whispered leaning his head over to kiss Pepper.

She yawned and shifted in the bed a little.

"What time is it," She mumbled and something seemed to dawn on her and she sat up in surprise, "You're awake!"

"I sure hope so," Tony responded with a smile, and sat up a little.

Pepper placed a hand against his cheek and smiled, joyous tears coming into her eyes.

"How are feeling?" She asked looking him over.

"Normal."

"As in-"

"The old normal," Tony assured her slipping her hand into his, "The good normal."

Pepper leaned her forehead against his and looked him in the eyes.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure Pepper. No more pain."

Her smile widened.

"Everything's okay now," Tony whispered and guided Pepper back down so they were laying down, her head against his chest, and his arm around her shoulders, "I'm okay."

He planted yet another kiss on the top of her head.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Pepper choked as he rubbed her shoulder, "You almost…"

"Shhh Pepp. I'm okay now."

"I was so scared," Pepper sobbed, "They said you were going to die!"

Tony flinched a little. He didn't remember the majority of the past two weeks, had it been two weeks? Three weeks? He didn't remember much since he had collapsed on the kitchen floor, just little things, being told he was dying, talking to Steve, talking to Nat.

"I'm okay now," Tony assured her.

"You were dying… AGAIN."

Tony smiled.

"With the experience of knowing vs. not knowing which do you prefer? Ya know, for future reference."

"This better not happen again," Pepper half laughed, half cried, "If you pull any of this shit again I will kill you."

"Little counter intuitive don't you think?" Tony chuckled.

"Gosh! You are such an ass!"

"Yet here we are," Tony laughed and gave her cheek a loving kiss.

"Please never almost die again," Pepper mumbled.

"I'll try my best."

"You better do better than that. I really do not want to be a single mother."

"Speaking of which, where did the kids run off to?" Tony asked looking around the room that had obviously been occupied by a large number of people, but was currently empty.

"Not sure. They all probably went for breakfast-"

"More like late afternoon lunch."

Tony looked over to the door where Harley was standing with a Burger King bag in his hand.

"Oh. Finally you show up," Tony joked.

"Pardon me," Harley snarked, "I was just kind of busy sneaking off to Wakanda to befriend a princes so we could make a serum so you wouldn't you know  _ DIE." _

Tony raised an eyebrow.

"You did what?"

"He got lucky, and then we both got lucky," The princess of Wakanda spoke as she stepped around Harley.

"And then you got lucky," Harley added.

"I'm Shuri by the way," The princess stepped forward and extended her left hand to Tony.

Tony took her hand, "Tony."

"It's an honor to meet you."

"Honors all mine." 

Shuri blushed a little.

“So what’s in the magic juice?” Tony asked nodding his head over to the small bag glowing purple fluid running into his IV.

“Oh, that is what is saving you,” Shuri explained, “It is a mix of a Wakandan secret that I can not share, and also pulled apart modified parts of Extremis.”

“I see,” Tony replied. Tony turned his gaze to Harley, “And I assume you hacked my stuff to get the Extremis data?”

Harley nodded, “Sorry, but I couldn’t let you die.”

Tony smiled, “Don’t apologize. I am glad you figured it out. I spent months trying.”

Harley and Shuri looked at each other, shock written on their faces.

“You mean… you mean you tried and couldn’t figure it out?” Shuri squeaked.

“You mean we actually figured something out that you didn’t?” Harley asked.

Tony smiled, “That is exactly what I mean.”

“You ALL messed with Extremis?!” Pepper’s outburst startled Tony, “We both know how dangerous that stuff that is!”

“It’s not like I tried it on myself!” Tony cried defensively.

Pepper opened her mouth to scold further when a delighted shout sounded from the doorway.

“Mr. Stark! You’re awake!” Tony turned his attention back to the door, where Peter was pushing past Shuri and Harley, “I can’t believe it!”

* * *

 

Harley watched Tony and Peter embrace and he smiled a little, but guilt wormed in his stomach as he watched Peter break down into tears. He hadn’t been here by Tony’s side as he was dying. He hadn’t known the pain that Pepper, Morgan, Peter and everyone else had gone through. He had only seen the tail end of Tony’s deterioration. He hadn’t had to watch him while he was dying.

“You okay Harley?” Shuri asked and gave him a gentle arm bump.

“Yeah… I just, I’m going to get some air and give people space while they reunite with Tony,” Harley replied and backed out of the room.

“I’ll join you,” Shuri offered and followed him out.

“Where are you two going?” Happy demanded as they passed him in the hallway, Morgan was clinging to his shoulder.

“To get some air,” Shuri spoke for Harley.

“Tony is awake in there,” Harley finished.

“Really?!” Happy sounded more excited than Harley had ever heard him.

“Yep, he’s waiting for you two.”

“Thank you so much… for- for everything,” Happy stammered over his shoulder as he sped down the hallway.

“So…” Shuri babbled, “how does it feel to be a hero?”

“Ugh,” Harley sighed, “Sleep deprived.”

Shuri laughed and squinted at him, “You have a point. We really didn’t sleep much in the past week and a half did we?”

“I clocked like three hours, what about you?”

“Not sure. Probably that much. I am surprised my brother didn’t come and bitch at us.”

“We should probably sleep,” Harley commented.

“So true,” Shuri sighed, “Those chairs look pretty comfy.”

“That they do,” Harley said and made a bee line for them.

They both sunk into the soft chairs and heaved heavy sighs. Harley was too tired to care or comment when Shuri leaned her head against his shoulder and fell fast asleep. He followed her lead.

 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! I will be posting a fair amount (probably) on the story called A Million Ways. There will probably be a lot of cute Morgan and Tony fluff, and arm making! (Is self promoting bad? lol)

**Author's Note:**

> *Kisses fingers* Still got it! Whew! For a little while there a day or so ago I was writing and the words had no meaning to me. They were just hollow lies, but this worked! Anyway I am on the road to better from Endgame, but um... like IDK my moods have been wild. I will try to post more on here asap but it might be a while or not long at all? who knows??? But also remember this: WE love Tony Stark and as long as we the fans remember him and love him he will never truly be dead. No pressure but we have to raise out children to love Tony so that he will be loved for generations!


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